Hunting with the Hedge 2021

[JB G]

15-16 Nov 21

40-70 degrees, warming up South winds

We out last nite just scouting on the river bluff. Saw about 20 or so deer in hay field, brush, powerline cut, river bottom. Was quite the show. Lots of bucks checking every doe they come to. Saw two purty good ones square off in the spotting scope, bi 4x4 that was busted up and a 4x3. Saw a nice non Typical with a good bit of palmation. Nice buck wide and curved on one side and straight up on other. Stayed til to dark to see in binos. was a terrific show.

0550hrs 16 nov

Got in old stand tree this morning. Killed probably 25 deer out this tree over last 6 yrs. Got in and set and the show started before shooting lite. My tree has died, had top busted out a year ago and it finally succumbed to it. I climbed it anyway as it had some suckers on it that were green. Waiting in dark the tree started to shake then stopped. i thought was that a small earth quake? I says no cant be. Then, again tree shook and I looked up and two fox squirrels are just above me coming out of hollow. Anyhow, the morning was amazing. Deer were all over me from before lite til I left. I had to wait to get down. had 6-8 bucks come by herding doe all over the hillside. No bigguns however. had one doe come right to tree or so I thought but it was a tiny unicorn buck with a 3-5" spike. I was sure it was a doe because a small 4x4 was right behind him.

Just a few days a year where its deer pandemonium in the woods. Small yearly deer looking around like "what in the world is going on here". Good to see lots of deer doing deer stuff in the fall woods.

Going to get real warm 75 next two days. Got some projects and a sick friend to tend to. came at a good time I guess.

HH~

[JB G]

19 Nov 21

26 degrees, NE winds 0600

Hunted where i shot the buck in the Hedge creek bottom next to wheat. Not much moving after full moon here. Pretty morning. The hackberry trees were dropping all their leaves and red oaks acorns were raining down as wind picked up.

Took a couple pics. One is how it looks in this sand after leaves are dropping. The other is the pile of Osage top of the tree my bow im hunting came out of. The buck i shot was between that pile and the stand. He got arrowed about 15 yds where that tree was leaning over.

HH~

[JB G]

18 Nov 21

Here's five of us old US Army Rangers over on Ft Campbell by the old stables. Three of us live herein TN, one in GA and one in the Netherlands. This team has been round the world and unknown amount of times and been in every US conflict/war since 1986 with a combined service time of almost 150years.
Good to see my brothers again, gives me hope that there are still men like these among us yet today.

HH~

[BowEd]

That picture will be looked back on again I'm sure.It's good to know men like this are out there for the sake of this country.

[JB G]

22 Nov 21

1500hrs North wind 5-7, 35 degrees

Went in on river bottom stand on a trail where deer travel and swim river. Very productive stand. Over the years I have done a triple and two double out this location usually in Nov or later as the deer come to pile in the thick brush on me. Last night was no exception.

Got set about 1500hrs and saw a big coyote right off in pasture. Was slow for a bit then 15 turkeys came out there so I knew that yote had trucked on. First deer out was a forky, came from 1/2 mile away across pasture and swam river went right up trail under me. Bout twenty minutes later I looked right behind me and the was 3x4 and the Non Typical buck i have been after. The 3x4 comes right to my tree but the Non Typ goes and beds in thick thick 30yds away. He never gets up.

Then, I look across river and four doe are moving toward river, two are younguns. Surely they not gonna swim river as its up a bit. Sure enough they did and went right under me and up under powerline cutoff brush. I did not shoot as I thought the Non Typ may get up and come check them out but no mas. I dont think he ever saw them in that river cane and weed break.

So, right at last light I am doing my last 360 check before getting down and I see what I think is a white dog and an orange one. No, its two Yotes a white or albino and a red phase. Grabbed my bow as they went by and shot at the white one. Clean miss. In all my years hunting yotes from Maine to Wash, Fl to CA I have never seen a snow white phase Coyote, Seen em in death valley with only hair on ears and little on tip of tail. Devil Dogs. Was really cool thing to see.  Great nite with a HH bow in my hand.

HH~

[JB G]

24 Nov 21

0530 N wind 30 degrees

Was out for only a quick hunt. The two resident Bald eagles were fly the river early, good to see them. Saw 8 deer, was hot and heavy for about 45 min then warmed and died rather fast. I did see the nice 5x5 i had been seeing early very nice deer and it looked he had been shot twice with ML. His left side was black with dried blood. He went by me two times rutting hard chasing a youngish doe. Looked like he also bust a G3. If he woulda not been chasing so hard he would have a POC missile headed his way.

Went out again in the evening same stand was warm 60 degrees and right about 30 min before last light deer started moving. Saw bunch of doe then the None Typ I been hunting pretty hard. he was following three doe on a line that I thought would bring them right by me. That did not happen it got dark fast and they must have taken a different trail as I never saw them go thru. Saw plenty doe but I got two buck tags left in TN one another outta state so I stay on the horns for now.


Happy Thanksgiving to all the Hunters of the Hedge-------->
HH~

[JB G]

Tenn Bucks

[JB G]

27 Nov 21

26 degrees, south winds 5-10 0600hrs

Went in down by the river looking for my white coyote mainly. Saw about 20 deer maybe a few more, no coyotes running though. I got a text right after first shooting lite but did check it until later that my partner hunting about 1/2 mi above had taken a shot and it looked and sounded good. I told him to stay in tree and we hunt out the morning. Well, the wind picked way up and I watched lotta deer pile into the brush. So, I eased up to meet him at his stand and he layed out what occurred.

Well, we found most arrow right away and determined right quick he's shot thru the buck and depending on location this deer was likely already dead. Anywho's, right off this deer turned downhill hard and he was easy to follow with not a lot of blood because he was dragging his hooves as he went down steep bluff. Figgered he was hit hard. Stopped about a third of the way down the bluff and starting scanning the creek bottom which is very open now and spotted a big brown hump on edge of creek bank. Looked again and asked Marc, "is that your buck down there by creek, he said yep that looks like him". He had bedded there and was already stiff so I figgered he had been dead for at least an hour before we got down to him.

Arrow took him mid body angled right thru center of liver lobe junctions and out right on diaphram line on backside. Lethal for sure but he went about 200-240yds all downhill and some steep downhill. Blood looked real watery right off and I knew there was no lung blood involved here. But with the pass thru on a big old Zwikey (when then were blue) I was confident we would find him. I just did not want to wade swim creek four times to do that. This time we got lucky, most times they cross in bed in a huge thicket of saw briars, blackberry, golden rod, milkweed and beggars lice, etc. So lucked out there.

He was tickled with the nice 110" mainframe 5x5 with a busted brow and I was for him. Good shooting Marc

HH~

[JB G]

29 Nov 21

Creek Bottom buck. Thats right where he bedded and expired.

HH~

[Allyn T]

Nice looking deer

[JB G]

30 Nov 21

35 @ 0600hrs east wind

Clear morning and the Eagle flew on Tuesday. Saw the Eagle cruising the river early. Had a 3x3 come in early. They saw some deer across creek. had a button and a doe come by at 26 yds around 0730. Saw 8 deer come outta brush across river look at crossing then went back into pasture feeding.

Heard a fox calling in dark off powerline cut above me. Looks like the Fox squirrel Rut is on !! So, not a bad few hours or hunting at all.

HH~

[JB G]

01 Dec 21

60 degrees , raining 1500hrs

They shelled corn and beans down road from me so those deer should have dispersed. Figged i come out and see what moves in this light rain. Nothing as of yet.


Good news. Got my Archery Elk and bear tags for 2022 today in Idaho. Will draw for MT in March i think. So, God willin i be in Eastern Idaho for a good long hunt. Thinkin a 21 day, leave my trk and gear in SD, fly home, then fly back for some huntin in snow in MT. Sure sounds good. We’ll see.


HH~

[JB G]

03 Dec 21

Guess I will be taking Bart-bow to Idaho in 2022, 54@27"  Guess I will finish it out and take it with me to the high country. Miss that guy, he was one hella bow hunter and friend. Been looking at this bow for over a year now 90% finished its about time someone showed it some love. Get a dozen 50-55 shafts and have them done up for this hunt.

HH~

[JB G]

03 Dec 21

Went to Farm yesterday to shoot some bow and cook some deer inner loins on wood fire. Was good time and it was 70 something degrees outside. Figgered no way im going out in woods to hunt deer wont move much at all. We piddled around for a good while and about 1550 I take off for the house. Driving back north I see a truck all smashed to pieces off road on south bound side and owner on North as I pass him standing there I see red on his arm. So I slow down and turn around to check on him. He says I hit a Big doe just now. I says 'you got blood on your arm are you OK". He say yes. I look at his F150 and the entire nose clip is gone and even the inner fenders are wrapped around his wheels.  A good $8000 of damage. He says "you want that deer it right in the ditch here". I grabbed rope out my truck and reply "I have a look at her". My first though was she's hammered. Then I saw she had had both back legs snapped and one front. A big Mama Jammin doe.

So, pulled her to truck and spun back around and headed for the farm. We hung her head first and did a gutless on her and got most everything off her. Thought we may only get backstraps but No, must have got 30lbs of nice boned meat. Went back by the hit site and fella and truck were gone. So, he got taken care of ok.

That doe must have got chased in road because she was old gal and smart enough not to walk in traffic. On a 70 dgree night you would think bucks be chasing again.


HH~

[JB G]

06 Dec 21

1500 35 degrees 10-15 out of North

Sat the evening out in a good stand of mine in a creek bottom. Was very windy but steady out of North. Ground was still wet from the nights rain but it was clear out. One of the few sits this year i did not see a whitetail. Saw two gray squirrels at last light along with a big owl who greeted me with a “hooty who” out of a big cedat tree near me. Gues he wanted me out his time to hunt.


HH~